babe? ● blackpink oneshots collection

ophelia • jensoo

Ancient China had its own views. While it was the norm to be straight, gay couples involving males seemed to trend at that moment. But those dynasties era was too patriarchal to let sapphic loves continue, let alone sapphic lovers with no male roles to bridge the women. Though the absence of folklores may be a consequence of this perception in that era, but that didn't mean there were secrets the way it didn't mean if unseen there were no swords beneath the sheath.

"Jennie," a soft voice called out, nurturing though at the edge of cracking. The old woman loved Jennie but she knew there was no way to keep her in her arms forever. "I have to tell you something." She sounded desperate. She sounded full of remorse. She was dreading something.

The young siren eyed teen stared at her mother, knowing her heart was about to be stabbed by the words that would come out of her mother's lips. She knew that her mother couldn't keep her in her home forever. "Yes, mother," replied Jennie, smiling innocently as if her heart wasn't being slowly teared apart.

Jennie's mother gulped her own spit. Her eyes spoke before her mouth did. Her hand reached out to the youngling, handing her beautiful azalea flowers. "I.. Jennie, my dear," she hesitated before continuing with regret, "Your father has decided for you to become a concubine of the emperor. I know you don't want this but--"

"I understand mother," replied Jennie. Her heart was heavy and full. She knew her high status family had been through so much lately. She knew that she was the only option, the only hope, the only choice that their small happy family of three had to save their lives before being thrown out of the court to live as peasants. She understood fully that being a concubine means always being considered last and useless but she knew that being a concubine means her family get to stay in the court. She loved her parents too much to let them suffer the judgement of the court.

"But you won't be alone." Her mother tried to grin, lifting the vibrance of their conversation. "Jisoo will also be sent by her mother to become another concubine. After all, this was our only chance to have our lives not on the line."

Jisoo was Jennie's neighbor. Back when Jennie was little, Jisoo's father was a scholar for the emperor. He was a noble man, a kind noble man that loved his wife and his child and even saw Jennie as her own daughter. But the world was unkind and so Jisoo's father had to be transferred as a doctor because the huge war broke. So he passed and their family was never stable since then. Just like Jennie, Jisoo knew that the only way she could take the burden of their family was to become the emperor's concubine and so she did.

Jennie's heart sank, yet a glimmer of bittersweet comfort surfaced as she thought of Jisoo. Although their fates had been sealed by the weight of family burdens and courtly expectations, the idea of facing this unfamiliar world with her childhood friend by her side made the future feel a bit less daunting.

The two weren't sent together. However, the concubines' castle was less complicated once they settled in. They also didn't have too much tight schedules to chain them inside their rooms so they wandered freely in afternoons. The two young women met, finally, one day, beneath the blooming cherry blossoms in the palace gardens, where they exchanged the unspoken fears in their hearts with soft glances and gentle touches. It was an act of rebellion to find solace in each other, even as their future lives were to be dedicated to a man they did not choose.

"Are you afraid, Jennie?" Jisoo's voice was a quiet whisper, laden with a mix of trepidation and understanding. Jisoo took and squeezed Jennie's hand, her own heart pounding.

Jennie took a deep breath, her gaze drifting to the petals that floated in the wind like fragile dreams. "Yes, Jisoo. But I am grateful to not face this alone. Knowing you'll be with me... it's almost enough to make me brave."